I have now had my first day of classes as a graduate student. Everyone stand up and cheer, because the new girl in town is really glad today is over. There is nothing like walking into a classroom full of people you don't know to throw you back into those nasty childhood years filled with infantile angsting and crippling self-doubt.
Can everyone hear my enthusiasm?
The first class went well (Biological Anthropology) and I'm very glad I took an in-depth course in Paleoanthropology last semester. The second class (Conservation I) was a little more difficult as there was a large group of people standing around the door when I arrived. Oh my god, I really thought I was going to die. It was just like getting on the school bus and not having anyone to sit with and feeling as small as a chewed up, spit out gumball. The class itself wasn't bad, because I didn't have to make an effort to talk to anyone when the professor was monopolizing our attention.
There have been a few times during the past few weeks where I've wondered what in the h--- was I thinking? More school? In a new institution? Where I don't know anyone? Why didn't I just go out and get a job?!
And then I remember.
I can't actually get a job that would let me support myself in my career with just a BA. And...eating is a good thing, so I grumble, take a deep breath, and go to my next class/function.
So, I've been settling into Bryan/A&M pretty well. There are some, shall we say, cultural differences between East Tennessee and Texas. For one thing, everyone eats really spicy food here. That's not actually a bad thing in my opinion. I'm all for dumping Tabasco sauce all over my french fries and snarfing down fried jalapeno peppers. I probably shouldn't be as excited about the spices as I am, considering that I practically have my Gastroenterologist on speed dial after this summer. Ulcers are a pain in the ass. Or abdomen. Whatever.
Another interesting difference between TN and TX is that the squirrels have collars. I was walking to my first class today and noticed one of the little buggers under an oak tree. It caught my attention because I was only about a foot away from him and all he did was turn and look at me. Then I saw that he had a collar on. Not only did he have a collar on, he had a collar with radio transmitters on it.
For some reason this struck me as incredibly amusing.
Squirrels. With radio transmitters. Just where in the world have I ended up? Texas is a very different world.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Rage Against the Electronic Bank Account
I have hit College Station with a bang. I have arrived and the Student Business Services (the people who take your money from you for tuition) now know who I am. The local bank back in Tennessee has also been reminded of my name. It's not even 10am and it's already been...I'm not even sure how to describe it.
There was a little tuition left over after my student loan kicked in, of course, and I paid it like a good Aggie on Monday. I even paid several days before it was due! I had really been nervous about getting that done and it was literally like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders when I got the receipt from A&M. It was done and taken care of, and there shouldn't have been anything left to do except buy my books.
Boy, was I wrong.
I still had a little money left in my college fund that my very smart parent set up for me when I was in utero. Mom called the local bank and told them to transfer that money into my account and then I zapped it to A&M. It was all done electronically and it was frightening how easy it was.
Now we need to skip forward a few days. Last night I went to Wal-Mart and attempted to use my debit card to pay for my new purple curtains. I swiped that damn card three times at two different registers and it would never approve it. I just thought that it must have been the banks anti-fraud measures kicking in, since I am in Texas and the bank is not. Maybe the large charge for my tuition needed my personal approval before my account would open back up.
I called the bank this morning and they told my I was overdrawn. I told them that wasn't possible as I just had a large amount transferred in, not out. Well, when Mom called the lady in bookkeeping screwed up and transferred the amount of money that was supposed to go into my account, out of my account and into my parents'. I ended up in Texas, the day after my mom went home, with no money and thoughts that I was going to be dropped from my class schedule because my tuition check had bounced. And, since the money was in Mom and Dad's account, Mom had to call and give her OK before it could be transferred back.
It's apparently been taken care of. The money is supposed to be back in my account today. I can assure you that I will be watching my account online with an eagle eye to see when it hits.
I also learned something very important about myself today. I can still cry. This sounds odd, but bear with me. I almost never cry. Ask anybody. My best friend has only seen me tear up once or twice in the nine years we've known each other. It's just not in my nature really. I tend to be very laid back and uber-practical, but when the lady at the bank told me what happened I started to sob.
Of course, it only last about two seconds and then I got mad.
I'm going to go hang pictures and use a hammer to take out my aggression in a constructive way. And maybe write an angry letter to my bank. And remove my money. Or something.
There was a little tuition left over after my student loan kicked in, of course, and I paid it like a good Aggie on Monday. I even paid several days before it was due! I had really been nervous about getting that done and it was literally like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders when I got the receipt from A&M. It was done and taken care of, and there shouldn't have been anything left to do except buy my books.
Boy, was I wrong.
I still had a little money left in my college fund that my very smart parent set up for me when I was in utero. Mom called the local bank and told them to transfer that money into my account and then I zapped it to A&M. It was all done electronically and it was frightening how easy it was.
Now we need to skip forward a few days. Last night I went to Wal-Mart and attempted to use my debit card to pay for my new purple curtains. I swiped that damn card three times at two different registers and it would never approve it. I just thought that it must have been the banks anti-fraud measures kicking in, since I am in Texas and the bank is not. Maybe the large charge for my tuition needed my personal approval before my account would open back up.
I called the bank this morning and they told my I was overdrawn. I told them that wasn't possible as I just had a large amount transferred in, not out. Well, when Mom called the lady in bookkeeping screwed up and transferred the amount of money that was supposed to go into my account, out of my account and into my parents'. I ended up in Texas, the day after my mom went home, with no money and thoughts that I was going to be dropped from my class schedule because my tuition check had bounced. And, since the money was in Mom and Dad's account, Mom had to call and give her OK before it could be transferred back.
It's apparently been taken care of. The money is supposed to be back in my account today. I can assure you that I will be watching my account online with an eagle eye to see when it hits.
I also learned something very important about myself today. I can still cry. This sounds odd, but bear with me. I almost never cry. Ask anybody. My best friend has only seen me tear up once or twice in the nine years we've known each other. It's just not in my nature really. I tend to be very laid back and uber-practical, but when the lady at the bank told me what happened I started to sob.
Of course, it only last about two seconds and then I got mad.
I'm going to go hang pictures and use a hammer to take out my aggression in a constructive way. And maybe write an angry letter to my bank. And remove my money. Or something.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Huh?, or Late Night Verbosity
Welcome to The Shovelbum Memoirs. Herein you shall find the ramblings of a crazy graduate student in archaeology. Don't let the shovel fool you, I'm completely harmless...most of the time. I've recently moved to College Station/Bryan, Texas, to pursue my graduate career. Yes, I have become an Aggie. It's alright. I was a Tennessee Vol before. Feel free to commence the teasing.
It's my first night alone in my new apartment and I'm distracting myself by creating this blog. I've tried them before, but have never been able to keep up with them. I'm holding out hope that this one will be different, as I've recently realized I actually do have a lot to talk about. I also hope that these entries will be coherent and somewhat amusing. My only difficulty in accomplishing this will be my grammar skills. I am attempting to fend off the compulsion to send my blog entries to my "editor" for some serious red pen work.
Hi, Mom.
My mom has edited all my papers and articles since I began to hold a pencil and knows of my tendencies toward verbal diarrhea. My run-on sentences and convoluted paragraphs are infamous within my immediate family. I really get going on a subject I'm passionate about and the words will flow, but nothing will make very much sense. But, I have found I am not alone in my loquaciousness in the hallowed halls of post-graduate education. You know legalese? Academiaese is much, much worse and much, much harder to understand.
Ah, well, such is the life of a graduate student. It's filled with obscure articles and ideas that make one scratch their head and say, "Huh?"
To wander back to my point (of introducing this blog), I plan on writing about my life and whatever strikes my fancy. I'll warn you now, my life is odd, and trying to make sense of it is like poking a slobbering rhino with a stick.
It's not a good idea and just might be dangerous to your health.
It's my first night alone in my new apartment and I'm distracting myself by creating this blog. I've tried them before, but have never been able to keep up with them. I'm holding out hope that this one will be different, as I've recently realized I actually do have a lot to talk about. I also hope that these entries will be coherent and somewhat amusing. My only difficulty in accomplishing this will be my grammar skills. I am attempting to fend off the compulsion to send my blog entries to my "editor" for some serious red pen work.
Hi, Mom.
My mom has edited all my papers and articles since I began to hold a pencil and knows of my tendencies toward verbal diarrhea. My run-on sentences and convoluted paragraphs are infamous within my immediate family. I really get going on a subject I'm passionate about and the words will flow, but nothing will make very much sense. But, I have found I am not alone in my loquaciousness in the hallowed halls of post-graduate education. You know legalese? Academiaese is much, much worse and much, much harder to understand.
Ah, well, such is the life of a graduate student. It's filled with obscure articles and ideas that make one scratch their head and say, "Huh?"
To wander back to my point (of introducing this blog), I plan on writing about my life and whatever strikes my fancy. I'll warn you now, my life is odd, and trying to make sense of it is like poking a slobbering rhino with a stick.
It's not a good idea and just might be dangerous to your health.
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